Adelbert e



No. 6|5,545. Patented nec. 6, |898. A. E. FouTcH.

souk SHELF BLocK cAsE.

(Applieltion led In. 5, 189B.)

(No Model.)

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W/TNESSES MMJ /N VENTOH A Trop/v5 ys] UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

ADELBERT E. FOUTCH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO JAMES M. DAVIS, OF SAME PLACE.

BooK-SHELF BLOCK-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersV Patent No. 615,545, dated December 6, 1898. Application filed March 5, 1898. Serial No. 672,666. (No model.)

, T0 a/ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, ADELBEET E. Fouron, of New York city, borough of Manhattan, county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Book-Shelf Block-Case, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention is a case especially intended to receive photographic views and constructed so that it may be used as a book-shelf block in libraries to hold the books in place, and having such features of construction and ornamentation as to conceal the identity of the device as a case for photographic views.

This specification is the disclosure of one form of my invention, while the claims define the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention, illustrating two of the improved bookshelf block-cases in position on book-shelves.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the invention,

looking toward the rear thereof and showing one of the drawers with which it is provided removed; and Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through the case and showing it in place between the book-shelves.

The book-shelf block-case has an unbroken front wall a, provided with suitable scrollwork ornamentation,as is customary for bookshelf blocks. The rear of the case is open and the interior of the case is provided with partitions Z9, forming compartments, in which drawers c are respectively mounted to slide. The drawers c have their inner or front ends open, so that the photographic views may be placed therein. The rear ends of the drawers are closed and may be provided with writings indicating the classes of the views contained. The rear end of each drawer is provided with a finger-ring d, by which the drawers may be easily manipulated.

To hold the case firmly in upright position, it is provided at its top with a presser-plate e, connected at its front edge to the upper front portion of the case by means of a concealed hinge f. (See Fig. 3.) The presserplate e is provided at its side edges and at its rear edge with downwardly-extending flanges g, which when the presser-plate is pushed down, as shown in Fig. 3, lie over the top portion of the case. Carried on top of the case and pushing the presser-plate upward is a spring 7L. (See Fig. 3.) This spring keeps the presser-plate upward and causes it to firmly engage the bottom face of the shelf above the block-case, thus holding the case in position and adapting it to shelves of varying distances apart. When the presserplate e is moved down to the position shown in Fig. 3, the rear iiange g engages the top drawer c and serves to hold the drawer in place, which action will be advantageous when the ease is displaced from the shelves, since it will prevent the top drawer from falling out.

The case thus constructed provides a convenient and safe place for storing the views; Access may be readily had to the views by removing the ease and withdrawing the drawers from the rear thereof. The case when in place presents an attractive appearance and cannot be distinguished from the usual bookshelf blocks.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Abook-shelf block-case adapted to stand between book-shelves to hold the books in place, the case having an unbroken front wall and being open at the rear, drawers mounted in the case and removable from the rear part thereof, and a spring-actuatedV 

